“This is the oral tradition that I have passed down to the Haudenosaunee, the people of Six Nations, from one generation to the next.  I now pass that tradition onto you so you will also know and understand the teachings contained in iotsistohkwaronnion (the stars), and when you see me in the sky you will also remember my words.”

Join us for another fascinating show that blends local culture, history, and modern-day astronomy and shares the Six Nations’ sky lore and language through traditional Indigenous night-sky stories.  With narration and visuals by a live presentation and pre-recorded excerpts (in English and Mohawk), learn about the story of Onekwá:tara – the Seven Dancers of the Pleiades, and how the story is portrayed in the night sky.  See the same stars with a completely different understanding and appreciation!

This show was collaboratively produced by members of the Six Nations, McMaster’s Indigenous Studies Department, and the McCallion Planetarium.

“That is how I heard the story, so I thought that is how you would hear it as well…” Join us for a fascinating show that blends local culture, history, and modern-day astronomy that shares the Six Nation’s sky lore and language through traditional indigenous night-sky stories. With narration and visuals by a live presentation and pre-recorded excerpts (in English, Mohawk, and Cayuga), learn about the story of the bear and the brothers and how it is retold every year with the rotating patterns in the night sky. See the same stars with a completely different understanding and appreciation! This show was collaboratively produced by members of the Six Nations, McMaster’s Indigenous Studies Program, and the McCallion Planetarium.

Astronomy is humanity’s oldest science, one that humans have been studying ever since we were able to look up. In this show, we will explore the night sky through the eyes of astronomers spanning from Paleolithic cave paintings of constellations to Han dynasty recordings of supernovae. Take a journey through time to learn about the oldest clocks and calendars, the precise mapping of the movements of the stars thousands of years ago, and ancient observations of phenomena modern astronomers are still studying today!

What exactly are asteroids and comets? Where are they found? What can they tell us about where we come from? What’s the danger of an asteroid hitting Earth and how do we know? If we detected an asteroid on a direct collision course with Earth, how could we stop it?  What’s the difference between a meteor, a meteoroid, and a meteorite? How has Halley’s Comet changed history? Why was Pluto demoted? What are the dwarf planets like? Join us to learn the answers to all these questions and more about the small bodies of the solar system.

Any one of “asteroids”, “comets” and/or “the edge of the solar system” can be emphasized upon group request.

Often times in the history of science, women’s contributions can go unnoticed or underappreciated, so taking time to shine a spotlight on what we have learned about our universe thanks to some incredible women can give us a more complete understanding of who is behind the telescope. Join us in meeting astronomers such as Vera Rubin, Henrietta Swan Leavitt, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, among many others, explore the history of astronomy, and learn about our universe through each of their discoveries.

Join us at the planetarium for a show geared towards a younger audience (around 8-15 years old) and their family members. Throughout history people on Earth have noticed the importance of the Sun and the Moon in the sky. In this show we will look at the Sun and Moon up close and see how they relate to Earth through space. Where do the northern lights come from? Why do solar and lunar eclipses happen? What does Earth look like from the Moon? We’ll explore these questions and more!

The universe is home to many fascinating phenomena and beautiful objects. But among such splendor, something more sinister lurks… From the numerous astronomical events which could end life as we know it, to the implications for humanity if we truly are alone in the universe, and what it might mean for us if we aren’t alone, join us as we explore some of the most unsettling and terrifying components of astronomy. Don’t forget: in space, no one can hear you scream.

A note that this show is not specifically designed for kids.

Today, we take for granted that the Moon revolves around Earth, Earth revolves around the Sun, and that the Sun revolves around the centre of our galaxy. But have you ever stopped to wonder how we know this to be true? Why do we say the planets move around the Sun when we see them moving around us and, more importantly, why are they moving in the first place? Join us at the W.J. McCallion Planetarium as we discuss the history of the Solar System, the different models that were proposed and why we know the current one to be correct. We will discuss some great minds that you may have heard of before (and some that you may not have) and look at the sky the way that they would have many years ago.

Join us at the planetarium for a show geared toward younger audiences (8-15 years old) and their family members. We’ll first take you on a tour of the night skies seen from Hamilton, and then focus on the many fascinating bodies within our Solar System. Along the way, we will visit all the planets, some of the most interesting moons, and even more if time permits!

Join us at the planetarium for a show especially geared toward younger audiences (8-15 years old) and their family members. You’ve seen the Sun and the Moon, the planets, and the Hamilton night sky, but what’s beyond the Solar System? In this show, we’ll journey through the Milky Way and discuss our Solar System’s place in the Galaxy and our Galaxy’s place in the Universe. How long will it take to get to the nearest stars and to visit other worlds? What’s in the centre of the Galaxy? How does our Galaxy compare to others? We’ll answer all of these questions and more!

Join us at the planetarium for a show especially geared toward younger audiences (8-15 years old) and their family members. Ever wondered where to find Perseus, the hero who defeated Medusa? Curious about locating your zodiac sign based on your birthday? This show will guide you through the captivating stories behind different constellations visible in the Hamilton night sky. You’ll learn how to recognize them and gain essential star-gazing skills, ensuring you’ll never feel lost when you look up at the night sky again! Additionally, we’ll explore some of the planets and celestial objects visible that night.

We’re lost. Audience members set off on a treacherous ocean voyage and were blown way off course. Their only way home: the stars. In this interactive session, we will teach you how to navigate with only the night sky. We will start with a brief tour of the night sky and how it works. Once oriented, we will try to determine our location and time, and then hopefully… find our way home.

Why should planets get all the attention? Learn about the massive collision that made our moon, Mars’ tiny moons and their tragic fates, the volcanos of Io, the possible life hidden below the ices of Europa, the massive Ganymede, the completely alien oceans and lakes of Titan, the geysers of Enceladus, the death star lookalike Mimas, the two faces of Iapetus, the backward orbit of Triton, and more. We will also discuss how moons are formed, what they can teach us about the planets they orbit, how we explore them, and any other moon-related questions you may have.

Content generally covers Earth’s Moon, Mars’ moons, Jupiter’s large moons, and Saturn’s large moons. Smaller moons of Jupiter and Saturn as well as the moons of Uranus, Neptune, or any other objects—such as dwarf planets or asteroids—can also be covered upon request.

Many of our favourite stories take place outside of our Solar System or even our Galaxy, the Milky Way. We are always curious to know what it would be like to live on another planet, take off at light-speed, or fall into a black hole. But how much of what we see in movies or TV shows is true? During this planetarium show, we will take a look at some common tropes we see in space media and ask ourselves: is this fact or fiction? We will learn about what shows and movies like Star Trek, Star Wars, The Martian, Interstellar, and Doctor Who get right or wrong, and celebrate them along the way!

Everybody has the ability to interpret the awe of the night sky in their own way. For many of us, the vastness of space is best explained through music. We embark on a musical journey through the celestial objects to understand how they have inspired musical artists on Earth. From planets to galaxies and classical to funk, we consider all aspects of the vastness of space and music to understand how we as humans interpret the beauty of the night sky.

For centuries, the idea of planets around other stars existed only in the realm of science fiction. But over the last two decades, astronomers have discovered thousands upon thousands of planets in the night sky. How have they found these planets, and what have we seen on them? And what is left to learn? Join us at the McCallion Planetarium as we discuss how we find these planets, how they’re different than our own, and what sorts of wild and wonderful planets exist in our universe.

It is 1977 and you are the newly built NASA probe, Voyager 1. You prepare for your long journey through our Solar System and beyond, to places in the Universe no human-made object has ever been. You pack your bag with some messages and music from humanity, stored on a golden record, to present to any new friends you may meet on the way. Join us in the Planetarium to experience the sights and sounds of an absolutely out-of-this-world road trip!